Newsletter Summer 2020
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Sussex Ornithological Society Newsletter Summer 2020 Editorial By Mike Russell (Chair of Council) As we approach mid-summer, we have all experienced such a change in every aspect of our lives. For everyone who is involved with birds one way or another, the last few months has seen our relationship change significantly with them. There is the frustration of not being able to go to our favourite places as reserves are closed and being encouraged not to drive anywhere, plus grappling with issue as to whether taking a walk with binoculars suddenly becomes non-exercise. This virus and the consequential lockdown have coincided with the spring migration, one of the most exciting times of the birding year and undoubtedly that has led to further frustration. Another consequence is that all surveys have been suspended resulting in delay to the collection of vital data about declining and threatened species. There has also been the suspension of the walks programme that many members enjoy during the year, but there is a flipside in that many people have discovered that there are some great birds to be seen in their own area and garden. It has also been very encouraging to see many new people adding their sightings to the website sightings page. One important event that we had to postpone was the AGM in April and there is a distinct possibility that we won’t be able to hold one this year as the potential health risk posed by Covid-19 will remain for some time. Council has therefore decided to hold a “Virtual” AGM. Details of how this will run and how you can participate can be found elsewhere in his newsletter. Photograph credits - Front cover: Kingfisher, Warnham LNR, 28th October 2019 [Dorian Mason] Inside front cover: Common Buzzard (top) and Red Kite, Beachy Head, March 2020 [Laurence Pitcher] 1 Throughout this pandemic, so many people are involved in not just keeping the society ticking over but actually moving forward as much as we can and I would like to thank my fellow Council members and the members of the Scientific and the Membership & Publicity Committees for making sure that society can continue to function effectively. There are so many others too, ensuring that the website, social media platforms and newsletter continue to provide up-to-date information to members, putting together the bird report, organising future events that may or may not be able to take place and the collation and input of data to ensure that our scientific data remains current. Over the years, many people have dedicated themselves to the Society by taking on important roles as honorary officers and in other capacities. In this editorial, please join me and the Chair of the Scientific Committee, Mark Mallalieu, in giving a special thank you to three people who have just stepped down after being members of that committee for many years. Dr Barrie Watson served for more than forty years, surely a record for serving on any of the Society’s committees. Alan Perry and John Hobson both served for twenty years. All have filled several other positions in the past and we owe them a great debt of gratitude. Barrie is one of our two Vice-Presidents; Alan is our President, a member of Council and he continues to run the Wealden Heaths Breeding Birds Survey; and John continues to do valuable work helping edit the annual Bird Report, writing species accounts and collating records of scarce species. So happily, all are continuing their long and close association with the Society. We can only hope that before too long this difficult period will finally come to the end so we can get back to enjoying the wonderful birds that there are in the county and continue to play our part in ensuring there is a place for birds in Sussex. 2 SOS Photography Competition – Entries now welcome! The SOS is now accepting entries for its new bird photography competition! We are looking for beautiful photographs capturing Sussex’s wonderful birds, taken during the year 2020. The competition is open to everyone, not just members of the SOS. There are two prize categories. The Overall SOS Sussex Bird Photographer is open to everyone, of all ages. The Young SOS Sussex Bird Photographer is open to participants of all ages up to the age of 18 as at 31st December 2020. Those under the age of 16 must obtain permission from a parent or guardian to enter. If your entry is chosen as a prize winner, you will be asked to provide proof that you are 18 or under. Prizes on offer for both categories, and three runners up in each category, include camera shop tokens plus a free year’s membership of the Society. The winning photographs and runners-up will be featured in the SOS Bird Report for the year 2020 (published towards the end of the year following the competition, in November 2021), as well as on our website, and at Society events. You can now submit your entry to and request further information from the following email address: [email protected]. You can enter up to a maximum of 5 images – those eligible for consideration for the Young SOS Bird Photographer will be automatically entered in both categories. All entries must be in digital format only, as JPEG files of the best quality available, with a minimum resolution of 300dpi, and a minimum file size of 4 MB. Images must be uncropped, in either landscape or portrait format, with minimum editing, such as for exposure, contrast and sharpness. For the full rules of entry, and terms and conditions, please visit the SOS website or contact the email address above. The closing date for entries is 31st January 2021. Good luck! 3 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2020 Council has decided that holding a normal AGM in 2020 could create health risks, given the COVID-19 pandemic, and that these risks can be avoided by having a ‘virtual’ AGM. We will therefore hold an online AGM using Zoom, a widely used application. This will take place on Saturday 18th July and members are invited to attend. Full details of how to participate will be sent later. We recognise that some members may find it difficult or impossible to join the AGM in this way and also that an online meeting will be easier to run successfully if as much as possible is dealt with ahead of the event. We have therefore made the following arrangements. (1) The papers for the AGM are available on the SOS website. These comprise the Summary of Activities, Trustees’ Report and Financial Statement. These papers were also sent to you with the last Newsletter. (2) A voting form for the AGM is enclosed with this Newsletter. If you do not intend to join the online meeting, please fill in your voting choices and return it as indicated on the form (you may wish to wait until you have seen any questions raised as per (4) below). If you plan to attend the online meeting you should vote then instead – see (6) below. (3) Subsequent communications about the AGM after this Newsletter announcement will be via the SOS website and email, so please write now to Chris Davis, the Hon Secretary at 27, Salisbury Road, Seaford BN25 2BD if you have no access to the internet and wish to receive further communications by post. Please only choose this option if really essential. (4) If you have any questions about this process or the agenda please write to the Hon Secretary at the above address or email at secretary@ sos.org.uk. A reply will be sent to you as soon as possible. Any questions and replies that are material to the agenda will be posted 4 on the website for other members to see as if you had raised them at a normal AGM. (5) Any such questions should be sent by Friday 26th June. The full set of questions and replies will be posted to anyone who has no internet access by Friday 3rd July. (6) All completed voting forms should be sent to The Hon Secretary by Friday 10th July. As stated at (2) above, if you plan to attend the meeting, you should vote then. (7) The AGM itself will take place at 2.00pm on Saturday 18th July. Further details will be posted on the SOS website giving the precise arrangements for joining and participating. You will be asked to confirm in advance if you plan to attend and provide an email address, again to simplify the arrangements on the day and ensure that you can actually join. Mike Russell Chair of Council, Sussex Ornithological Society VOLUNTEERS URGENTLY REQUIRED! The Society still needs people to come forward to fill a number of key roles, as current volunteers retire from their positions after serving 5 years. Right now, we need someone to fill the post of Hon. Secretary. Looking ahead to 2021, the positions of Recorder, Bird Report Editor and Press & Publicity Officer all fall vacant. If you are willing to volunteer for one of these jobs, please contact Chris Davis – [email protected]. uk. 5 Iris Simpson By Tony Marr It was with great sadness that I heard of the death on 14th March 2020 of Iris Simpson in a residential home in Horsham. Her husband of 65 years, Alf, had died a little under four months earlier. A tribute by John Trowell describing Alf’s enormous contribution to the work of the society had just appeared in the society’s Spring 2020 Newsletter.